Former MVP And Justin Fields Critic Is Coming Around On Bears QB

Justin Fields hasn't had the rookie season he or anybody else was hoping for. The young quarterback has freely admitted that. Is this stopping him from continuing to work to get better? Not in the slightest. If anything, it's driving him even harder. That is one of the reasons he became a 1st round pick. Throw a challenge in front of him and he'll do everything in his power to overcome it. That mental toughness and grinding style is winning over a lot of people not just inside Halas Hall but outside too. A perfect example is Boomer Esiason. The former league MVP and multi-time Pro Bowler hasn't been shy in his criticism of Fields over the past couple of months. He has spoken strongly on Fields' difficulty handling the more complex demands of the position. Specifically being able to recognize and beat blitzes. However, it seems his stance has softened of late as he explained to Parkins & Spiegel on 670 The Score.

The improvement is becoming tangible.

During his first few starts, Fields was atrocious against the blitz. That has changed. For the season, the rookie has a passer rating of 77.5 when opponents blitz him. That is actually better than his passer rating (65.5) when they don't. This speaks to the amount of work he's put in at fixing that part of his game. Does everything still need work? Of course. That is why Esiason is correct in that he must continue to play. Yet it's impossible to deny Fields has improved steadily from where he was. Considering the state of things around him, that deserves special mention. A makeshift offensive line that continues to struggle. A receiving corps that lacks difference-makers and drops way too many throws. Not to mention a coaching staff that seems clearly overmatched by their responsibilities in building a cohesive system around him. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Byrd-is-the-word.-@LookIn_Da_Miere-CHIvsGB.mp4"][/video]

Justin Fields has navigated so many obstacles already

One thing that gets overlooked is the Bears' schedule. Of the top 12 current pass defenses in the NFL this year? Fields has played against six of them. There hasn't been a single gimme on the schedule since he stepped into the starting job back in Week 3. One significant challenge after another. The fact he's still standing and still showing signs of improvement is a testament to his ability and his perseverance. Even better is the belief that the schedule may finally lighten up a bit over the final four weeks. None of the remaining three opponents on the schedule have a pass defense ranked higher than 18th. This is a chance for Justin Fields to start building some serious momentum going into next season. A year many hope the Bears will start working to surround him with a more capable infrastructure.

It starts at the top.

Matt Nagy is expected to receive his pink slip after the season end. That means a new coaching staff with (hopefully) a new, more viable offensive system. Perhaps a new GM as well with Ryan Pace on the hot seat. He hasn't proven capable enough in finding offensive talent. So getting somebody new in charge of the roster would be an obvious move. Plenty of work to do.